Ah, the Inner Harbor. Who can resist the enchanting aroma of urine, crap and pollution mingled with the scent of dead fish?
Certainly not Hopkins students. And definitely not Hopkins freshmen. When the choice comes between studying, going to another fraternity party and milling aimlessly around the Inner Harbor with friends, students often opt for the least boring: the Harbor.
But shopping and eating aren't the only activities available in the Inner Harbor. There's always museums, psychics and sailing!
A number of companies located in the Inner Harbor offer affordable sailboats for rent during the day.
Experience is not required since expert instruction is also available. Of course, the range of prices for these services vary, but assuming that most Hopkins students are bodily owned by the bank, I'll include only the more affordable companies.
Downtown Sailing Center (DSC) offers sailing instruction and boat rental at affordable prices. More specifically, it provides both beginning and intermediate instruction through evening and weekend sailing classes. A class usually consists of four Monday evenings, four Tuesday evenings or one full weekend.
The company also provides sailing races on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. With such low-stress, noncompetitive atmosphere, it is the ideal opportunity to begin racing.
The DSC is located at the Baltimore Museum of Industry at 1425 Key Hwy. For more information, contact 410-727-0722 or sailing@downtownsailing.org.
During the months of April through October, the ship Clipper City sails throughout the Inner Harbor, starting from the wooden finger piers in Harbor Place in front of the Maryland Science Center.
Clipper City is an imitation of historic 19th-century sailing ships, which often carried coal and lumber between ports along the east coast. When the steam engine was developed, the use of sails faded from prominence but were maintained in this replica to preserve the historic aura.
Passengers can continue the traditional Inner Harbor activity while they are on the water: that is, eating. The main deck boasts both a snack bar and the Doghouse Bar. Two hour excursions are offered Monday through Saturday, departing at noon and 3 p.m., and on Sunday at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. for $6. Dancing events are also held Friday and Saturday nights from 8 to 11 p.m.
For more information, contact 410-931-6777 or visit the Web site http://www.sailingship.com.
If historic sailing doesn't appeal to you, the company Getaway Sailing offers sailing instruction, racing programs and club membership that includes unlimited access to its sailboats. Its ships generally range from 22 to 36 feet and include both racers and daysailers.
The sailing courses range from $40 to $240 and generally meet on the weekend. Courses include Fundamentals of Sailing, Practice Sailing and Intermediate Sailing.
Getaway Sailing is located at 2700 Lighthouse Point. For additional information on either instruction or club membership, contact getsail@erols.com or 410-342-3110.
So, instead of haranguing your friends with complaints of boredom, rent a boat and learn to master the art of sailing.
But hey, It's better to be floating on top of the mass of filth and pollution than to be breathing the air downwind.
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